This unit of competency covers the skills and knowledge required to participate in hazard and operability studies (HAZOP).

HAZOP is a systematic method for examining complex facilities or processes to identify actual or potentially hazardous procedures and operating issues within the design, construction and commissioning of equipment and plant so that they may be eliminated or mitigated. Typically a multi-disciplinary team comprising operators, engineers, safety and other personnel will review a change in plant, process or equipment to see if the change can cause unforeseen hazards or introduce unexpected operability problems and confirm that the change meets the standards.

This unit of competency applies to senior technicians and those in similar roles who are required to apply in-depth knowledge of process and plant in order to review piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs) or similar in relation to a proposed change, identify possible hazards or operability issues, recommend amendments to improve safety and operability of the change, and review and amend procedures in relation to the change.

This unit of competency applies to an individual who is part of a multi-disciplinary HAZOP team. At all times they would be liaising and cooperating with members of the team.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy the requirements of the elements and performance criteria, and include the ability to:

analyse schematics and other sources of information to identify actual and/or potential hazards and recognise conditions that might lead to operability issues

utilise key words in the identification of potential hazards or operability issues

identify possible consequences and asses risks from identified potential hazards and operability issues

recommend possible solutions

complete actions delegated from the HAZOP

communicate effectively with multi-disciplinary stakeholders.

Evidence must be provided that demonstrates knowledge of:

the architecture and location of the process/production equipment

specific plant process operations

interactions between plant items/processes

product specifications and tolerances

systems operating parameters

system integrity limits

process control philosophies and strategies

emergency shutdown procedures

science (e.g. physics, chemistry and biochemistry) relevant to process and materials

impact of external factors (e.g. variations in weather and feed)

process drawings (e.g. piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs), process flow diagrams (PFDs), and cause and effect)

basis of control for the plant/s

instrumentation and control systems, components and loops as they relate to the modification under review

impacts of changing process/production equipment settings and the limits within which changes can be made

organisation procedures

work health and safety (WHS), hazardous substances and environmental requirements

enterprise standard operating procedures, plant processes and equipment for area under review

duty of care obligations

hierarchy of control.

The unit should be assessed holistically and the judgement of competence based on a holistic assessment of the evidence.

The collection of performance evidence is best done from a report and/or folio of evidence drawn from:

a single project which provides sufficient evidence of the requirements of all the elements and performance criteria

multiple smaller projects which together provide sufficient evidence of the requirements of all the elements and performance criteria.

A third-party report, or similar, may be needed to testify to the work done by the individual, particularly when the project has been done as part of a project team.

Assessment should use a real project in an operational workplace. Where this is not possible or practical, assessment must occur using a sufficiently rigorous simulated environment reflecting realistic operational workplace conditions. This must cover all aspects of workplace performance, including environment, task skills, task management skills, contingency management skills and job role environment skills.

Knowledge evidence may be collected concurrently with performance evidence or through an independent process, such as workbooks, written assessments or interviews (provided a record is kept).

Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.

Conditions for assessment must include access to all tools, equipment, materials and documentation required, including relevant workplace procedures, product and manufacturing specifications associated with this unit.

Foundation skills are integral to competent performance of the unit and should not be assessed separately.

Assessors must satisfy the assessor competency requirements that are in place at the time of the assessment as set by the VET regulator.

In addition, the assessor or anyone acting in subject matter expert role in assessment must demonstrate both technical competency and currency. If the assessor cannot demonstrate technical competency and currency they must assess with a subject matter expert who does meet these requirements.

Technical competence can be demonstrated through one or more of:

relevant VET or other qualification/Statement of Attainment

appropriate workplace experience undertaking the type of work being assessed under routine and non-routine conditions

appropriate workplace experience supervising/evaluating the type of work being assessed under routine and non-routine conditions

Currency can be demonstrated through one or more of:

being currently employed undertaking the type of work being assessed

being employed by the organisation undertaking the type of work being assessed and having maintained currency in accordance with that organisation’s policies and procedures

having consulted/had contact with an organisation undertaking the type of work being assessed within the last twelve months, the consultation/contact being related to assessment

conducting on-the-job training/assessments of the type of work being assessed

being an active member of a relevant professional body and participating in activities relevant to the assessment of this type of work.

This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential to performance.

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

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